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Tag: AHS

  • Thursday, April 21, 7:00 pm – Conversations with Great American Gardeners: Shane Smith, Online

    The American Horticultural Society is excited to launch a new speaker series featuring current and past Great American Gardeners Award Winners and Book Award Winners. Since 1953, the AHS has been recognizing and celebrating horticultural champions that represent the best in American gardening and we are thrilled to have a dedicated webinar series to highlight the work of these outstanding individuals.

    In a lively and engaging conversational format, speakers will share their knowledge and experience with our event host, Holly Shimizu, gardener to gardener. Holly is a nationally recognized horticulturist with a rich background in public gardens and garden communication. On Thursday, April 21, Holly will speak with Shane Smith.

    Since its inception in 1977 until 2018, Shane Smith was the director (and a founder) of the award-winning Cheyenne Botanic Gardens, Wyoming’s only public botanic garden. Currently, Smith is the Director Emeritus. In addition to the AHS award, Smith has received the Wyoming Governor’s Community Hero award; the Wyoming Business Council Award of Excellence for starting the State of Wyoming’s first modern farmer’s market; the 2011 Award of Merit from the American Public Garden Association; and the 2012 National Garden Clubs Award of Excellence for his contributions to gardening and horticulture. He continues to mentor other botanic gardens and continues to garden in his state-of-the-art greenhouse in western Colorado. In 1982 Smith wrote the first ever manual on building and operating a 100% solar heated, walk-in high tunnel/quonset greenhouse. He also authored the “The Bountiful Solar Greenhouse,” and the bestselling garden book “Greenhouse Gardener’s Companion.” 

    Register to view the webinar taking place Thursday, April 21 at 7:00PM (eastern). AHS members $10 (must log in to access discounted rate); nonmembers $20.

  • Sunday, February 13, 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm – Botanical Gardens World Tour: Betty Ford Alpine Gardens and Western Australia Botanic Garden, Online

    Indulge in a colorful midwinter escape with Smithsonian Associates as horticultural experts lead a series of virtual visits that highlight the beauty of notable botanical gardens in settings as far-flung as Shanghai, the Hudson River Valley, and Australia. In vibrant visuals they explore how each garden has taken a unique approach to design and interpretation as they all celebrate plant collections, conservation, education, and the distinctive environments and landscapes in which they bloom. On February 13, the focus will be on the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens and Western Australia Botanic Garden.

    The only garden in North America to focus solely on alpine plants, Betty Ford Alpine Gardens (below) in the Colorado Rockies is the highest-altitude public garden on the continent. Compact and exquisitely landscaped, it interprets the diversity and complexity of alpine plants of the world. Superb horticulture and educational signage are hallmarks of this remarkable garden. 

    Located in the world’s most remote provincial capital, Western Australia Botanic Garden is the jewel of Perth. Set above the Swan River in Kings Park, its landscape displays a highly regionalized collection of plants. Southwestern Australia is one of the earth’s five Endemic Kingdoms for plant diversity, making this garden one of the world’s most unique living laboratories. 

    Presenter Keith Tomlinson, superintendent of the American Horticultural Society, has worked as a naturalist for 35 years and studied wilderness areas and botanical gardens around the world. His is the author of numerous technical and popular articles on the conservation of plant diversity, botanical garden travel, and environmental education.

    $25 for Smithsonian Associates members, $30 for nonmembers. You also save if you sign up for the entire series, with additional sessions on February 20 and February 27. Register HERE.

  • Thursday, January 27, 7:00 pm – Conversations with Great American Gardeners: Michael Balick, Online

    The American Horticultural Society is excited to launch a new virtual speaker series featuring current and past Great American Gardeners Award Winners and Book Award Winners. Since 1953, the AHS has been recognizing and celebrating horticultural champions that represent the best in American gardening. In a lively and engaging conversational format, speakers will share their knowledge and experience with our event host, Holly Shimizu, gardener to gardener. Holly Shimizu is a nationally recognized horticulturist with a rich background in public gardens and garden communication.

    On January 27 at 7 pm, Holly will speak with Michael Balick. A world renowned ethnobotanist at the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG), Michael J. Balick, Ph.D., works with indigenous cultures to document plant diversity, preserve knowledge about traditional uses for plants, and help these communities sustainably manage their resources. In the course of this work, he evaluates the potential of these botanical resources for broader medical or pharmaceutical applications. His most recent project focuses on the tropical Pacific Islands in Micronesia and Melanesia, where he is documenting the diversity, local use, and management of plant resources in support of a region-wide conservation plan. Balick is currently vice president for botanical science at NYBG, where he has worked since 1980. He is also director and senior philecology curator of the NYBG Institute of Economic Botany, which he cofounded in 1981. $10 for AHS members, $20 for nonmembers. Register at www.ahsgardening.org.

  • Saturday, February 5 – Sunday, February 27 – Gardens, Wine & Wilderness: A Tour of New Zealand

    From soaring peaks to lush rainforest, from gorgeous vineyards to carefully cultivated gardens, The American Horticultural Society is thrilled to once again offer the opportunity to experience the wonders of New Zealand. Please join us, as we visit some of the most spectacular places on earth while experiencing this special country’s unique culture and history, February 5 – 27, 2022. Updated brochure and reservation form (includes pricing information)are now available.

    Featuring a unique blend of destinations and culinary delights, this tour achieves a perfect balance between invigoration and relaxation and its Southern Hemisphere summer is a treat for winter-weary visitors.

    Our AHS Host for the trip will be Rachel Muir, an environmental scientist and ecologist who over the course of a 40 year career worked for a variety of private firms and Federal agencies. Now retired, she spends her time writing, traveling, gardening, and teaching at the North Carolina Arboretum. Our Tour Leader is Richard Lyon a native Kiwi who practices landscape architecture in southeastern Pennsylvania. Tour highlights include:

    • Brilliant gardens that reflect the unique flora of this amazing country, ranging from large, impressive botanic gardens to romantic and intimate gardens.
    • Insight into native New Zealand history and culture through museum visits.
    • Pristine nature, experienced through environments ranging from glacial lakes to rugged landscapes to rich coastal plains.
    • Adventurous activities that include a visit to Mount Cook, the highest peak in New Zealand; bungee jumping (as a spectator or, for the more daring, as a participant); and opportunities for helicopter rides, zip-lining, or jet boating.
    • An introduction to New Zealand’s wine culture through visits to several vineyards.
    • Delightful cities: Christchurch, called the Garden City; Auckland, blessed with beautiful parks and a lively waterfront; Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, with a wonderful cosmopolitan vibe; Queenstown, an alpine city with much to see and do.
    • Serene sailings that include a cruise of Doubtful Sound aboard the Fiordland Navigator and ferry sailings, including an unforgettable experience as the sun sets behind the Auckland skyline.
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  • Friday, October 9, 4:00 pm – Conversations with Great American Gardeners: Karen Washington, Online

    The American Horticultural Society is pleased to announce our new speaker series featuring current and past Great American Gardeners Award Winners and Book Award Winners. Since 1953, the AHS has been recognizing and celebrating horticultural champions that represent the best in American gardening and we are thrilled to soon launch a new dedicated webinar series to highlight these outstanding individuals.  

    The first conversation in the series will launch Friday, October 8, with Karen Washington, an award-winning urban farmer and food justice activist who was the recipient of the 2018 Urban Beautification Award. Karen has been a community gardener and activist in New York City since 1985. As a New York Botanical Garden trustee, she currently works with Bronx neighborhoods to turn empty lots into gardens. In her earlier role as an advocate and former president of the New York City Community Garden Coalition, she championed garden protection and preservation. She’s also active with the La Familia Verde Garden Coalition, helping to launch a City Farms Market to bring fresh vegetables to the community. She serves as a board member of organizations such as Why Hunger and Just Food, often leading workshops on food justice and growing food. Washington is also a co-owner and farmer at Rise & Root Farm. In 2012, Ebony magazine voted her one of the 100 most influential African Americans in the country. In 2014, she was the recipient of the James Beard Leadership Award.

    Host Holly Shimizu, former executive director of the United States Botanic Garden and an AHS board member, will lead the conversation, which you won’t want to miss!

    To register, access the member and non-memberrates. Sponsorship opportunities are available to support the speaker series.

  • Through October 31 – AHS Virtual Art Show & Sale

    The American Horticultural Society invites you to its Virtual Art Show & Sale now through October. Browse a wide selection of garden and nature themed watercolor paintings from the artists of Salon 8. All of the artists share a passion for the natural world and a love of trying to capture it through the challenging medium of watercolor. All artists are members of Potomac Valley Watercolorist, a regional juried arts organization, and have exhibited locally, regionally and nationally. A portion of all sales benefits the American Horticultural Society’s national programs. Browse the offerings and bid online HERE.

  • Friday, October 1 – Sunday, October 10 – Gardens of Provence

    Join the American Horticultural Society May 3 – 12, 2021 with host Sherran Blair and tour leader Amy Kupec LaRue of SpecialTours for a picture perfect excursion to the South of France. Highlights include a stay in Nice, on of the most envied cities in the world, superb cuisine, several private gardens, a visit to Grasse, where you will be surrounded by fields of lavender, jasmine, and roses, a tour of the Villa Fort France garden (below), the city of Aix with Roman origins and center of medieval culture, and a stay in the walled city of Avignon. For more information and to make reservations, please contact Susan Klejst, Director of Development & Engagement at (703) 768-5700 ext. 127, or email development@ahsgardening.org. For complete brochure visit www.ahsgardening.org.

  • Thursday, March 11, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm – The Future of the Past, Online

    For this New Directions in the American Landscape virtual workshop on March 11 from 1 – 2:30, Patricia Klindienst and Clayton Brascoupe will share ideas about how the making of a garden helps maintain and transmit cultural heritage. They will explore the twin imperatives to honor and pass on traditional knowledge of garden and farming practices while healing the land and people estranged from their cultural heritage. $28. Cosponsored by the American Horticultural Society, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, and Wild Ones – Native Plants, Natural Landscapes. Register at www.ndal.org

    Patricia Klindienst is the author of The Earth Knows My Name: Food, Culture, & Sustainability in the Gardens of Ethnic Americans. Clayton Brascoupe , Mohawk / Anishnabeg/ life long gardener / farmer, began working on family subsistence garden and commercial farms at age 13. Clayton has worked with Akwesasne Notes, at the time was the largest Native Newspaper, with distribution nationally and internationally. Currently farming with family at Pueblo of Tesuque New Mexico, USA Clayton and wife Margaret named their farm Four Sisters Farm after their 4 daughters, where they grow traditional and heirloom crops for food and seed. Clayton is a founding member of and Program Director of the Traditional Native American Farmers Association (TNAFA) a non-profit inter-tribal association of Indigenous farmers, gardeners, educators, and health professionals. TNAFA’s mission is “to revitalize traditional agriculture for spiritual and human need”. Program director of TNAFA develops educational programs to engage Native youth, women, current farmers and those who wish to learn.

  • Wednesday, February 17, 1:00 pm – 2:15 pm – Bird-Friendly Home Landscapes, New England, Online

    What can we do to support birds visiting our homes this spring and beyond? In this online NDAL (New Directions in the American Landscape) workshop on February 17 from 1 – 2:15 pm Eastern time, we will take an in-depth look at native plants that you can plant to make your home more bird-friendly to our year-round residents and those stopping over on their migration journeys. In this workshop, we will explore the importance of choosing native plants and how to select native plants to attract specific birds to your yard. Jillian Bell leads, and the fee is $28. Register at www.ndal.org. The session is cosponsored by the American Horticultural Society, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, and Wild Ones- Native Plants, Natural Landscapes.

  • Support American Horticultural Society

    The American Horticultural Society is pleased to announce FabulousFlorals.com has agreed to donate 5% of their sales, up to $5,000, back to AHS now through August 30, 2021. Fabulous Florals is committed to providing the finest fresh-cut wholesale flowers by the bunch, in assortments, in wedding flower packages, and by individual varieties. It even offers a variety of DIY packages to customize special occasions. Your order can be shipped in single bunches and bulk flowers to anywhere in the United States and Canada. Use code AHSFF so that 5% of your purchase will automatically be given to AHS. Enter this code in the coupon code field, or in the order notes field during checkout. Please note this will not discount your order, but ensures 5% of your product purchase goes back to AHS to support its educational programs. The American Horticultural Society was reportedly considering a merger with The American Public Gardens Association and sadly must sell its River Farm property in these unusual times. All support is welcome.